According to popular belief, it takes 21 days to establish a habit. That idea stemmed from Maxwell Maltz’s book Psycho-Cybernetics, a book on improving self-image. However, there are critics who assert that the 21-day theory is a misinterpretation of his work. The truth is, it doesn’t matter. Let’s leave scientific theory off the table and look at common sense for a second. Common sense tells us that if we keep doing something over and over, then it will become a habit. I don’t know whether 21 is the magic number. I would imagine that the number of days to establish a habit would differ for each person. I would also imagine that the longer an individual commits to a course of action, the more likely he or she will continue doing it. When trying to develop a habit, the hardest step is not the commitment to continue. The hardest step is the decision to start.

In my life, it is God’s grace that has allowed me to achieve all that I have. In fact, Philippian 4:13 say that I can do all thing through Christ who strengthens me. Notice, the Bible said “all” things, not “some” things. Therefore, I want to accomplish “all things” in my life. In order to do so, I have to establish some new habit, and I am going to do it in 25 days. Why 25? ”The number twenty-five in the Bible symbolizes ‘grace upon grace.’ It is composed of 20 (meaning redemption) and five (grace) or grace multiplied (5 x 5),” (biblestudy.org). In everything I do, I want to do it with God’s grace. So over the next 25 days, I would like to start a challenge called “25 Days of Fearlessness.”

Being fearless can often appear daunting. The spirit of fear constantly threatens to overpower and immobilize us. Fortunately, God did not give us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7). The best way for us to understand who we are in God is to simply understand who God is. The challenge over the next 25 days is to chronicle God’s magnitude in our surroundings. Take a picture of something that you believe illustrates God’s enormity. If you don’t have a camera, write it down. Describe it. Journal the encounter/experience. For those of you with access to social media, post your picture on your social media page with the caption, “25 Days of Fearlessness.” Also write a brief description of how your picture illustrates God’s greatness. Relate that image to the challenge(s) you face that day. Use your image to remind you of who God is and who He has created you to be. Most of all have fun!! Happy posting/journaling. See you tomorrow.

“The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences,” (Proverbs 18:21, NLT).

Oftentimes, we forget just how much power our spoken declarations have over our lives. Recently, I read a story about an athlete who, as a child, told his mother, who had been affected by breast cancer at the time, that he would purchase a pink Cadillac with pink rims for her when he “grew up.” Years later, he was able to fulfill that promise. A few years prior to that story, I heard about a famous actress who, as a child, had promised to buy her mom a diamond ring when she became rich and famous. She too was able to fulfill her childhood promise to her mother. I doubt that as children either of those two individuals knew that they were “prophesying” over their lives. Impregnated in that young girl’s promise to her mother was the declaration that she was going to become a famous actress. The reflection of those two stories made me think of my own life. There have been times where I too have spoken in “jest,” and my “declarations” have come to fruition.

Today, I want to challenge all of us to prophesy over our lives. We need to go back to the days of our childlike faith—a time where we thought any and everything was possible. We need to speak over our lives and declare and proclaim our futures. We need to live in bold faith like Abraham did.

16 So the promise is received by faith. It is given as a free gift. And we are all certain to receive it, whether or not we live according to the law of Moses, if we have faith like Abraham’s. For Abraham is the father of all who believe.17 That is what the Scriptures mean when God told him, “I have made you the father of many nations.”This happened because Abraham believed in the God who brings the dead back to life and who creates new things out of nothing.

18 Even when there was no reason for hope, Abraham kept hoping—believing that he would become the father of many nations. For God had said to him, “That’s how many descendants you will have!” 19 And Abraham’s faith did not weaken, even though, at about 100 years of age, he figured his body was as good as dead—and so was Sarah’s womb.

20 Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God.21 He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever he promises.22 And because of Abraham’s faith, God counted him as righteous.23 And when God counted him as righteous, it wasn’t just for Abraham’s benefit. It was recorded24 for our benefit, too, assuring us that God will also count us as righteous if we believe in him, the one who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead.25 He was handed over to die because of our sins, and he was raised to life to make us right with God, (Roman 4:16-20, NLT).

The Revolution Will Not Be Televised is a poem/song by Gil Scott-Heron (1949-2011), in which the title phrase has been cemented into modern-day vernacular. Scott-Heron’s influence has transcended cultural, economic and regional borders. In TheRevolution Will Not Be Televised, Scott-Heron challenges our apathetic despondence, which fuels our inclination towards complacent mediocrity. He calls us to take action in a world of unpredictability. The Revolution Will Not Be Televised asserted that our inaction is an action of dire consequences. The poem also suggests that our call to action should not be precipitated by the possibility of fame or pursuit of grandeur. It further states that the greatest revolutionaries are the ones who go unsung and unrecognized. They are the ones who are willing to go into the battlefield with no guarantees of victory. They are the ones who are willing to take a chance—to lay it all on the line. They are usually the ones who truly make a difference. They are the Esthers, the Daniels, the Davids, the Josephs and the Abrahams.

We are living in revolutionary times. More specifically, we are in the middle of a revolution, and it’s time that God’s people spring into action—get off of the sidelines and jump onto the battlefield. We can’t afford not to. Many Christians are governed more by fear, doubt and insecurities more than we are the Holy Spirit. Oftentimes, we sit idly by as the World advances its agenda, because we are afraid to speak out, offend or interject. We rather murmur than make a difference. We use phrase like, “Who am I to say/judge?” and “To each his own” as spiritual clutches. Let me be very clear, as Christians, we have every right to say. We were called to say. When Jesus issued the decree not to judge others, He did not mean that we should stand in passive agreement of sin, He meant that we should not condemn others because of it. A society with no governing laws/standards is governed by anarchy, complete disorder, which by definition is contradictory to the nature of God, which is order. We are called to make a difference.

Over the past few months, I have read various devotionals and books where the authors have suggested that we are in the final days; and we should pursue life passionately. The truth is, no one but God knows when the final days are. However, the fact that we do not know when the final days are should ignite a fire in our souls. Imagine that tomorrow was indeed the last day. Wouldn’t you want to make today count? Wouldn’t you want to know that your life counted and that you gave it all you got? If you answered yes, then you need to start living like you are dying!

The truth remains that despite whether or not tomorrow is indeed our last day, we are indeed dying. We approach closer to death with every breath of life we take. The more we live, the more imminent death becomes. For many people, this topic of conversation is rather macabre. Those individuals would rather talk about sunshine and rainbows. However, the harsh reality is that during the time it took you to read this post, time has been withdrawn from your flesh and the withdrawal in non-refundable. We know that time waits on no man, and that it does not stand still. The fact that we only have one life to live means that we only have one lifetime to make a Kingdom difference. So, why not give it all that we have? Why not go for broke? Why are we not pursuing our God-sized dreams? Going for that business? That career goal? That missionary work? That dream that only you and God know about? Moving forward, let’s take back what the enemy has stolen and place it back into the hands of those who can properly steward it for God. There is a revolution, and it has already started. Where will you stand?

If anyone has ever taken a road trip with children, they would know that one of the most incessantly asked questions of any vacation voyage is, “Are we there yet;” to which the most frequently given response is, “We’re almost there.” Whether we are five minutes or 105 minutes away from our destination, the answer is usually the same: We are almost there. In those moments, it seems like we just cannot get there fast enough. Sometimes, this is not only true of our physical journey, but our spiritual journey as well. Sometimes, it can feel like the light at the end of the tunnel is light-years away.

Have you ever noticed that it is usually the children who ask, “Are we there yet” on road trips? Why is that? One reason is that the adults are the ones who, for the most part, know the final destination, including where it is and how long it takes to get there. Also, most adults are mature enough to know that they must endure some temporary discomfort (e.g. cramped spaces, long ride frequent bathroom breaks, etc.) before they get to their final desired destination. In other words, before we can be free to enjoy our fun in the sun at the theme parks, we have to endure the turmoil of the four-hour car ride.

So, you might be asking yourself: What does this have to do with our Spiritual lives? I think it’s safe to assume that many Christians are living an “Are we there yet” lifestyle. Most of us have faith and trust God, yet there are moments when we believe that we have not yet seen the manifestation of our faith. We have put one foot in front of the other, yet we have not arrived at our desired destination. We often find ourselves asking God, “Are we there yet?” Sounds familiar? How about one of these scenarios below?

God, it’s been years, and I have been praying for healing; yet I am still sick. Are we there yet?

God, I have been believing in you to mend my marriage, but it’s still falling apart. Are we there yet?

God, I have been praying so long for you to bless me with my partner, yet I am still single. Are we there yet?

God, I have been praying to you for years to bless my womb with life, yet I am still childless. Are we there yet?

Lord, I have been praying that you would bless my business ventures, yet I have only experienced closed doors. Are we there yet?

Lord, I have been praying for my wayward child to return home, yet he (or she) is still so far from you and from home. Are we there yet?

God, I have been praying for financial breakthrough, yet I am still in debt. Are we there yet?

God, I have been praying for (fill in the blank), yet (fill in the blank). Are we there yet?

Yes, many of us have been asking God, “Are we there yet,” for quite some time. But consider this revelation. In order to get to a place of peace, we have to realize that we are God’s children, and that we are in the backseat of His proverbial car. We have to know that when we allow God to drive us, He knows exactly where He is going and how to get there. When God drives us, we never have to worry about Him being pulled over for going too fast or being honked at for going too slow. Like children in the back seat, we have to be patient, mature and know that if we buckle up and sit tight, we will eventually arrive at our destination. We might also realize that if we quit whining and complaining, we might actually enjoy the ride. Ultimately, our lives and our walk with God comes down to this one simple truth, “We are either going to trust God, or we are not.” Philippians 4:6-7 says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.,” (NIV).

You and I have to believe that even though to the naked eye it might seem like we are light-years away from our desired destination, God is still in control and that He has a plan to bless and prosper us. You see, in our minds, we might be thinking weekend getaway, while God is planning a vacation destination.

Father God, Please continue to bless us with your peace that surpasses all understanding. In those moments when we are tempted to ask, “Are we there yet;” comfort us. Allow us to know that you are still in control and that you have a plan for our lives that will supersede our expectations. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen!

Jesus Christ is said to be the finisher of our faith. In Hebrews 12:2, the NIV Bible refers to him as the “pioneer and perfecter of faith.” Philippians 1:6 says, “I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns,” (NLT). What does this all mean? It means that God will never start something and not carry it through to the end. Remember, He is not a man that he should lie (Numbers 23:19). So, if He said it, it must be so!
If you have a dream in your heart, and you are wondering how God will ever bring it to pass, then this message should give you hope. God will never place dreams in our hearts and then taunt us by making them unachievable.
The Bible says that in order to live our best lives, we must have faith. Hebrews 11:6 says, “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him,” (NIV). Here is a critical point that is often lost on most of us, including myself. Faith, or lack thereof, isn’t our biggest problem. Many of have faith, or we think we do. The problem is, not our faith per se. The problem is, we don’t know who God is. Re-read Hebrews 11:6 more carefully. It says that anyone who comes to God must believe that He exists AND that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him. I would argue that most believer would agree that God exists. I think most people, believers and non-believers alike, struggle with the fact that God genuinely wants to reward them. I believe that before we can truly have faith in God, we have to learn a little more about who He is. It’s impossible to have faith in someone we know little or nothing about.
I could use a million examples to illustrate who God is, but today I want to focus on just one. Hopefully, we could meditate on this example throughout the day and allow the words to truly marinate. In Genesis 28:15, God told Jacob that “I will not leave you until I have finished giving you everything I have promised you.” A few chapters later, Jacob wrestles with God in Genesis 32:22-32. In the passage, Jacob was alone when:

a man came and wrestled with him until the dawn began to break. 25 When the man saw that he would not win the match, he touched Jacob’s hip and wrenched it out of its socket. 26 Then the man said, “Let me go, for the dawn is breaking!” But Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” 27 “What is your name?” the man asked. He replied, “Jacob.” 28 “Your name will no longer be Jacob,” the man told him. “From now on you will be called Israel, because you have fought with God and with men and have won.” 29 “Please tell me your name,” Jacob said. “Why do you want to know my name?” the man replied. Then he blessed Jacob there.

How many of us are currently wrestling with God regarding our current situations? Our relationships are broken. Our marriages are not what we would like them to be. We haven’t met the partner we thought we would have. Our business ventures have failed. We have no idea how to initiate the dream that God has laid on our hearts. Our children are not where we would like them to be. There are so many ways that we all wrestle with God, yet He remains faithful. I believe that the moment that we truly realize that God is faithful, even when we are not (2Timothy 2:13), is the moment that we can truly begin to have faith. Today, remember that God promised Jacob that He would never leave him until He had given him everything that he has promised. Know that the promises made to Jacob are also applicable to us. It is also important to remember that God has also placed eternity in our hearts (Ecclesiastes 3:11). Therefore, if God has promised us eternity, and He won’t leave us until He has given us everything He has promised, then God will NEVER leave us. This should comfort us to know that God will never leave us!

A few weeks ago, we started a new series called the seven deadly sins. Those sins are: pride, envy, greed, wrath, gluttony, sloth and lust. In our previous discussions, we mentioned that although the concept of the seven deadly sins is not Biblical per se, some scholars have said that the principle has a Biblical derivative, specifically Proverbs 6:16-19 and Galatians 5:19-21:

16 There are six things the Lord hates,
seven that are detestable to him:17 haughty eyes,
a lying tongue,
hands that shed innocent blood,18 a heart that devises wicked schemes,
feet that are quick to rush into evil,19 a false witness who pours out lies
and a person who stirs up conflict in the community, (Proverbs 6:16-19, NIV).

19 The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God (Galatians 5:19:21, NIV).

So far, we have talked about pride and greed. Today we will talk about envy!

Previously, we mentioned that pride was the original sin that caused man to fall. If I were to rank the seven deadly sins in order of egregiousness, I would say that pride would be a first place contender, and envy would be a close runner up. Of the seven deadly sins, I believe that these two are the most vile of them all. I would even argue that pride and envy are what I would call gateway sins. When they take root in our lives, they open the gates for other sins. Let’s take a look at James 4:1-4 to illustrate this point.

What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? 2 You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. 3 When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.

4 You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. 5 Or do you think Scripture says without reason that he jealously longs for the spirit he has caused to dwell in us? 6 But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says:

“God opposes the proud
but shows favor to the humble.”

James 4:1-4, NIV

So, in James 4:1, the Bible says that our desires that battle inside us is what causes us to quarrel and fight. That is pride and envy 101. It was pride and envy that caused Adam and Eve to eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Their pride told them that they were entitled to God’s knowledge. Their envy made them begrudge the fact that God possessed the knowledge that they thought they deserved.

Now, here is why I call pride and envy the gateway sin. James 4:2 says, “You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight.” Remember pride makes us feel entitled and envy makes us think we should have the product of our entitlement. So what happens when someone has what we think we should have? We become envious and that envy could lead to rape, murder, adultery, lying, greed, and any other vice we could think of. Let’s look at some practical applications. For example, a man cheat on his wife with another man’s wife. Why? Somehow, deep down inside, he has reasoned that he is entitled to the value that other man’s wife brings to her husband. The man who is doing the cheating might have reasoned that he deserved to be respected, loved and honored. Since he is envious of his perception of the other man’s wife’s values, he “steals” her from the other man. His pride has told him that he is entitled, and his envy has precipitated his adultery, lying and stealing, and in some cases, killing.

Let’s use another example. A woman shoplifts from a department store. Why? Somewhere in her mind, she has determined that she is entitled to the items she has stolen. She is also envious that the store owners/stock holders have move than she does. Most of the time when we listen to the excuses of people who shoplift, they say things like: “They have enough stuff;” “They’ll never miss this;” or some variation of “I should have this stuff too.” This is jealousy and pride. That jealously and pride have caused them to resort to lying and stealing. First, the individual in our shoplifting scenario has lied to herself in an effort to convince herself that she deserve someone’s miracle/destiny/blessings. Second, she has lied to herself by trying to convince herself that she is not hurting anyone. Lastly, she will have to lie to avoid getting caught.

The problem with envy and pride is not that they are inherently bad, even though they are. The problem is that they set us up for failure each and every time. It is impossible for us to have someone else’s blessings because that blessing was custom fitted for that individual. You see, God knows each and every one of us inside out. Just as no two people have the same fingerprints, no two people have the same spiritual DNA. When God considered our blessings, He considered our gender, our race, our backgrounds, our personalities, our idiosyncrasies, our level of faith (or lack thereof), our maturity and so much more. It is IMPOSSIBLE that any another person on the planet would align with us on ALL of those thousands, maybe even millions, of variables. We could save ourselves a tremendous amount of heartache and pain if we understood that no matter how much we envied someone, we could never have what they have. Their blessing weren’t made for us. The other thing is this. We do not know how much time, effort and prayer someone has put into their blessings. The problem with many of us is we think that our story ends when God grants us our blessings. Friends, in many cases, this is just the beginning. God has an expectation that we will take care of what He has given us. Let’s use another example. We might look at our neighbor and say, “Wow, they have such good, accomplished children. I wish mine were like theirs.” The problem is we don’t know how they got to that point. How many days did that mother fast for her children? How many nights did that father pray for their success? What about their ancestors? Imagine how they could have prayed and planted seeds. They truth is we just never know what people’s true circumstances are.

The final point I would like to bring home is this: James 4: 2-3 says we have not because we ask not. It also says that sometimes the reason that we do not have is because we ask for the wrong reasons. Friends, if God owns the cattle on a thousand hills (p.s. He owns the hills too), why aren’t we asking Him for everything. No matter how small our requests, we should bring them to God. If we do not get the answer we desire, we should not automatically think that we are asking with wrong motives. Instead, we should ask God to check our heart and purify our desires. If we have done a heart check with God and we still find ourselves with the same desire, then the answer is simple. We have to wait and trust that His timing is perfect. We have to know that though others might appear to be experiencing their Jordans, their timing is not ours. We have to trust that God knows what we need and will come through when we need it.

God,

My prayer for today is that you settle the hearts of your people. Grant us your peace that surpasses all understanding. Thwart in us any temptation for pride and envy. Allow us to know that you have custom-fitted blessing designed specifically for each and every single one of us that will be revealed at just the right time. I pray blessings over all your people. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

In today’s society, success is usually thought to be determined by degree or pedigree. I am here to tell you that neither of those things are absolute qualifiers for success. When Paul spoke to the church in Corinth, he reminded them that few of them were wise in the world’s eyes or powerful or wealthy when God called them. He further went on to say that God often chooses the “things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful,” (1Corinthians 1:26-26, NLT). Now, this is not to say that there isn’t a value to education, for we know that God honors those who seek knowledge, counsel and wisdom. It is simply to say that our circumstances do not disqualify us from being great. Look at Gideon.

Too often God places a dream on our heart, and we erroneously think that we need an ensemble team to bring the vision to fruition. We are inclined to decline opportunities because we think that we lack the skills needed to accomplish the task. In the Old Testament, Moses tried to hand over the opportunity to lead the Israelites out of bondage to Aaron because he thought that being a successful leader was directly correlated to an ability to speak well. Fortunately, God is more interested in using those who can walk the walk rather than those who talk the talk. So how does that tie into the story of Gideon?

God had called Gideon to defeat the Midianites. Like many of us, Gideon doubted that God could really use him to do something so extraordinary. Thankfully, what Gideon soon came to realize was that his weakness was inversely proportional to God’s strength. In other words, he realized that when he was weak, God was strong, and it was that epiphany that allowed him to grow in strength.

Prior to battling the Midianites, Gideon had 32,000 men. God told him to send home those who were fearful. Twenty-two thousand men left. Gideon was left with an army of 10,000. Still God was unsatisfied. He ordered Gideon to bring the men to the stream and “[d]ivide the men into two groups. In one group put all those who cup water in their hands and lap it up with their tongues like dogs. In the other group put all those who kneel down and drink with their mouths in the stream,” (NLT). There were three hundred men that drank from their hand. Finally, God was satisfied. With a total of 300 men, God delivered the Midianites into the hands of the Israelites (Judges 7).

The story of Gideon serves as an amazing demonstration of God’s ability to elevate us above our circumstances. In the natural, there was no way that Gideon could have defeated an entire army with only 300 men. However, God reduced the size of Gideon’s army so that He would receive the glory. The first lesson that you and I should learn from Gideon is that when we are called to do the impossible with only a skeletal crew, it’s not because God is punishing us. It’s simply because He wants us, and others, to know that success is not based on a formula, but is predetermined by God. The second lesson to be learned from Gideon is that not everyone in our camp is destined or willing to fight. Know that the dream that God gave us was given to us. Not everyone in our camp is meant to go with us to battle. In order to achieve victory, sometimes, we have to get rid of those who are stumbling blocks. In the case of Gideon, had God not gotten rid of those who were “timid or afraid,” it might have cost them the battle. Under pressure, those eliminated individuals might have surrendered or betrayed their camp. The third lesson to be learned from Gideon is that when God gives us a dream, it’s better to have a faithful few than a lazy bunch. Those who drank from their hands proved to be hard workers and go-getters. They didn’t just kneel at the stream and waited for the water to flow into their mouths. They took the initiative. We want people in our camps that take initiative. The last lesson that we learned from Gideon is a little off topic, but equally important.

The Bible says that God will make our enemies our footstool (Luke 20:43). We should know that oftentimes, God will use our very enemies to announce our victory. In the case of Gideon, God used the Midianites to announce the Israelites’ victory:

The Midianite camp was in the valley just below Gideon. 9That night the Lord said, “Get up! Go down into the Midianite camp, for I have given you victory over them! 10 But if you are afraid to attack, go down to the camp with your servant Purah. 11 Listen to what the Midianites are saying, and you will be greatly encouraged. Then you will be eager to attack.”

So Gideon took Purah and went down to the edge of the enemy camp. 12 The armies of Midian, Amalek, and the people of the east had settled in the valley like a swarm of locusts. Their camels were like grains of sand on the seashore—too many to count! 13 Gideon crept up just as a man was telling his companion about a dream. The man said, “I had this dream, and in my dream a loaf of barley bread came tumbling down into the Midianite camp. It hit a tent, turned it over, and knocked it flat!”

14 His companion answered, “Your dream can mean only one thing—God has given Gideon son of Joash, the Israelite, victory over Midian and all its allies!”

15 When Gideon heard the dream and its interpretation, he bowed in worship before the Lord. Then he returned to the Israelite camp and shouted, “Get up! For the Lord has given you victory over the Midianite hordes,” (Judges 7:8-15, NLT)!

Know today that God has called each and every one of us for something great. If God can use flawed individuals such as Moses, Gideon, David, Ruth, and Esther, imagine what He could do with us.

If we were to ask most people to name the one thing they would like to be remembered for when they die, I would guess that most people would say that they would like to be known as someone who made a difference in their community/world. The problem is, many of us have a distorted idea of what that looks like. We tend to think that in order to make an impact, we have to reach the masses. While there are those that are called to be global leaders, not everyone is called to be Mother Teresa or Oprah. What if Jesus was to tell you that He was more concerned with the plight of one than the dilemma of the masses? Would that change how you think?

I asked myself that very question this morning. What if only one person were to every read my blog? In the eyes of man, that might be considered an epic fail. But what if that one person stumbled upon my page while searching for something else on the Internet? And, what if, as a result of that serendipitous moment, that person developed or solidified his or her relationship with Christ? Would that one fact redefine success? It should. For God, it does. God is more concerned about saving the one rather than creating fanfare. In Luke 15:7, Jesus said, “I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent,” (NIV).

Living a purposeful life is not necessarily about reaching millions, it’s about impacting at least one. In fact, the person that we inspire could be the one who goes on to influence millions. One of the most influential people who ever lived was a poor, unknown, small-town Jewish girl. She didn’t sell out stadiums. She didn’t shut down traffic. She was a wife, a mother and a homemaker. However, her influence on one person has forever changed the world. Her name is Mary, mother of Jesus. Image how many times Mary must have spoken words of encouragement over her son Jesus. Imagine how many times she must have cradled Him in her arms and told Him that she loved Him. Before He was our inspiration, she was His. Although Jesus was robed by His father’s perfect, divine love, she showered Him with her Earthly adoration.

Today, I encourage you to remember that walking in your purpose could very well mean that you simply change one life. The heavens WILL rejoice if your act of kindness, obedience and service saves only one soul. In whatever you do, be strong and courageous and know that your God goes before you (Joshua 1:9). If you do so, you will live out the purpose for which He has called you.